VIETNAM IN 2 WEEKS PEARL OF INDOCHINA 13 Days Price 699 Few countries have as much variety as Vietnam. Let yourself loose in hectic Hanoi and enjoy the sumptuous cuisine full of fresh vegetables, fish and herbs. Visit a quiet temple away from the bustle of Ho Chi Minh City and relax on the beaches along the far stretching coastline. Vietnam is a charming, stylish country where there is much to discover in a historical, cultural and culinary sense. Itinerary Day 1: Ho Chi Minh City Welcome to Vietnam! Your tour starts in Ho Chi Minh City, where you can use your hotel room from check in time (12.00 hrs at noon) on day 1. Your travel companions will also arrive this first day, the exact time will be depending on their flight schedule. You will meet your English speaking tour leader at 12.00 hrs noon on day 1 in the lobby of your hotel in Ho Chi Minh City. Wander the busy streets of this metropolis for hours and you will still hardly scratch the surface as there is just so much to see. Ho Chi Minh City is steeped in history and offers an array of museums, temples, pagodas, colonial buildings and churches. The museums of note include the unique War Memorial Museum and the Vietnamese History Museum, both well worth a visit. The cities oldest pagoda Giac Lam is a must-see and the bustling Chinese district of Cholon, the cities' main trading centre is brilliant for trying a range of different foods at low prices. Day 2: Ho Chi Minh City You are free today. An optional trip to Tay Ninh and Cu Chi is recommended. Tay Ninh is the centre of the colourful Cao Dai religion, the result of an attempt to create a fusion of both Western and Eastern philosophies and religions. At midday you can witness the daily ceremony in the extravagant temple. After that we travel to Cu Chi. This impressive underground tunnel network was built in the 1940s by the Vietminh to resist the French colonists and Japanese occupation and was later used by Vietcong guerrillas for surprise attacks against American troops during the Vietnam War.
Day 3: Ho Chi Minh City - Nha Trang Today you have most of the day free to do as you please until the end of the afternoon when you will be departing by night train to Nha Trang (second class soft sleeper). Once on board, take a look through the train and take a look at the hard-seat' section where travelers hang all evening in their hammocks between banks, or on their roll mat, placed upon the floor. The train also serves meals. On the evening menu you will find meat, vegeatables and rice and in the morning steamed noodle soup or a sandwich. At the train stations that you will be stopping off at, you will also find plenty of refreshments for sale. The trains run in Vietnam at a slow pace. If it is still light, you can enjoy the landscape. At some stations, the train will stop for a long time to wait for an oncoming train. This is because you will find that all across Vietnam you only have single tracks. Day 4: Nha Trang After the train journey you can relax on the fine sandy beach of Nha Trang. Nha Trang is Vietnam's largest resort, with good restaurants. If you like your seafood, then you can feast on prawns and exotic fish in the restaurants here. Nha Trang is located near a natural harbour where you can also swim in addition to snorkeling and diving. Fans of amusement parks can take an optional excursion to the Vinpearlland Amusement Park where you will find, among other rides, a carousel, bumper cars and 4D movies for your viewing pleasure. Day 5: Nha Trang - Whale Island In the morning you'll be picked up from the hotel and driven to Van Ninh, 60 km north of Nha Trang, where the boat leaves to Whale Island. After a short boat trip of ten minutes you reach the idyllic Whale Island, like a fairy tale hideaway. Here you'll spend two wonderful days. You'll spend two nights in simple bamboo huts with private bathroom and fan on this dream island with swaying palm trees, pristine coral reefs and a relaxed atmosphere. You'll feel just like Robinson Crusoe! Please note: Availability of accommodation on Whale Island is limited. Therefore it might happen that the resort is fully booked. If this is the case, you will instead stay on the mainland in a place called Doc Let. Doc Let is set on a long stretch of white sandy beach.
Day 6: Whale Island A free day in paradise! Why not take a dip in the sea after you wake up!? Today you can do what you want to. Snorkeling and diving are highly advised as the underwater seascape and variety of submarine life are astonishing. Surfing, sailing and kayaking are all possibilities too. Or if you prefer, you can read a good book in your hammock, relaxing at your own hut- the choice is yours. Day 7: Whale Island - Qui Nhon Take the boat back to Van Ninh and wave goodbye to your dream island. The bus awaits for a beautiful ride along the coastline to Qui Nhon city. You will see picturesque fishing villages where time seems to have stood still, deserted beaches and as always those warm, friendly people who appear to be laughing at us! An truly unforgettable day! Day 8: Qui Nhon - Hoi An Today you travel along the scenic coast towards Hoi An, formerly known as Faifo. Estimated travel time is 5 hours (290 km). Hoi An is a town with traditional houses and is considered by many travelers as one of the most attractive and one of the most fun places to experience Vietnam. Visit the quaint market there, with baskets full of colourful fish, shrimp, fruit or vegetables. Many old wooden houses and historic buildings bear witness of bygone times. Some of the old Chinese houses are even open to visitors. The interior of these houses appear exactly the same as they did centuries ago. Even some old Chinese temples are still in use. Day 9: Hoi An Day at leisure. You can take a short boat trip on the river or go independently to the quiet beaches of Hoi An. You can also choose a tour in the beautiful surrounding area. It is also possible to visit the 7th century Cham ruins of My Son, another important cultural and historical part of the heritage of the country.
Day 10: Hoi An - Da Nang - Marble Mountains - Hué You drive northwards today but not for very long (only 130 km, travel time approximately three hours), but we'll go via a few stops. You first go to Da Nang, where you can choose to visit the Cham Museum. The museum has the largest collection of Cham sculptures in the world with more than 300 images of sandstone. The images date from the 7th to the 15th century. The images from the period until the 10th century reveal influences from mainly Hindu India and Indonesia. In the period between the 10th and 15th century Khmer influences prevailed in Cambodia. You can also visit the famous Marble Mountains. The beautiful Marble Mountains (Ngu Hanh Son) are five hills containing caves. During the Vietnam War it was a refuge for the Vietcong. Now it's a Buddhist shrine. The many caves displaying their different images bear witness to this. Please be aware that entrance fees at todays various sites are not incuded in the fare. After a spectacular drive along the coast, you arrive in the ancient imperial city of Hue. The spatially designed French town with its buildings, broad avenues and the Perfume River is very atmospheric. The main landmark of this city, which has more than 200,000 inhabitants, is the Huong Giang, which translates quite literally as the "nice-smelling river". In the afternoon you can have a look at the vast Forbidden Purple City. The Forbidden City is not that old, the oldest part dates from the early 19th century from the time of the Nguyen emperors. It is one of the few 'grand' buildings of Vietnam history. Day 11: Hué - Hanoi Around the city of Hue, in the undulating landscape, are the imperial mausoleums. One of the most pleasant ways to visit mausoleums is by boat. You can take an optional boat trip on the Perfume River to the imperial tombs and pagodas just outside the city. The 21 meter high Thien Mu pagoda is located on the north bank of the river and has seven floors. It was built in 1844 and has long been the symbol of Vietnam. On each floor is another Buddha statue. Behind the pagoda tower is a beautiful temple. At the end of the afternoon before departing by night train to Hanoi (soft sleeper second class, scheduled departure time is 16.50 hours, subject to change). The train carries the name 'reunification express', as North and South Vietnam are brought together.
Day 12: Hanoi In the morning we arrive in the capital city of Hanoi, our final destination. Filled with small shops, lively markets, lakes and cafes, Hanoi still retains some of its village atmosphere, despite having a population of millions. The avenues and streets lined by French villas still have a charming and unspoilt air and the residents of Hanoi are famed for their hospitality. Although Hanoi is the oldest capital city in South-East Asia, the buildings are relatively new. However, there are still some flashes of the past with attractive temples and pagodas and the market which offers wonderful local produce such as different types of tropical fruits, rice, flowers, herbs, vegetables, live animals and craftwork. You can also take a morning walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, visit the park where the locals gather to practice badminton or tai chi, pay a visit to the One Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature or watch a performance by the Water Puppeteers. Day 13: Hanoi Your tour ends today and your check out time will usually be 12.00 hrs noon. The international airport of Hanoi is 45 km away and can be easily reached by bus or taxi. We wish you a comfortable journey home and are sure you will take with you some wonderful memories of Vietnam. When booking your tour, please check to see whether you need any post-tour nights, bearing in mind that accommodation for the night of the final day of the tour (day 13) is not included. Our trip to Vietnam will operate with a minimum of 2 participants. This is great for you as a traveller as you will know very quickly that you have a guaranteed departure! Note: For groups of 2 to 5 participants, there are some changes in the travel arrangements regarding tour guide and transfers. Namely, there is no tour guide throughout the trip, you have an English speaking guide (driver/guide) in South Vietnam, one in central Vietnam and a third in North Vietnam (on days 1,3,4, 5,7,8,10,11,12,13). The transfers are regulated differently, with a group of 2 participants you will use a car with space for 4 persons (with driver and guide), a group of 3-5 participants make use of a minibus (with driver and guide). From 6 passengers upwards, the trip is as described, so with a private tour guide for the whole trip, and private transfers/excursions for the group.
WHAT'S INCLUDED? transportation in air-conditioned (mini) bus train Ho Chi Minh City-Nha Trang / Hue-Hanoi Whale Island boat transfers Hotel accommodation with breakfast Whale Island accommodation with 2x lunch and 2x dinner short orientation tours in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi Visit Marble Mountains en route to / Cham Museum English speaking tour leader. WHAT'S NOT INCLUDED? international flights other meals optional excursions all entrance fees visa tips departure tax booking fee airport transfers travel insurance. EXTRA Pocket money: 100-125 p.w. Single room: 149 TAKE NOTE Single room not possible on night train. Additional costs 2013 Single room supplement 149.00 Booking fee (1p) 20.00 Booking fee (2p+) 35.00